Hood latch



F. A. FALK HOOD LATCH pi 25, BEES.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan., 2, 1952 April 25, 1933. F, A FALK 1,905,554

HOOD LATCH Filed Jn. 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fzzfen fos@ rfa mi: is the provision of such a device which shall Patented Apr. 25,Y 1933 Vnarran stares HOOD rarENr. ori-"ICE x FRANK A.'FALIL OESTACYV ILLE, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO FORGING- & MANUFAC- TUBING CO., OF-CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS LATCH Application filed January 2, 1932. Serial No. 584,462.

My invention relates to an improvement in automobile hood latches and is particularly adaptable to employment with multiple hinge hood lclosures for automobiles. One object include an exterior handle andinterior latching means positioned within the hood closure. Another object is the provision of a device which sha-ll include a single exterior handle 1P, whereby a plurality o-f interior latching .29. an enlarged scale; 1

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2; f

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 with the parts in unlatched position; Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 4. Like parts are indi-cated by like symbols means may be moved into and out of securing engagement with a keeper or keepers. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less dia- Jgrammatieally in theV accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a side elevation; Figure 2 is a partial interiorl elevation on throughout the specification and drawings. y Referring to the drawings, A generally indicates a portion of the automobile frame, A1 is 'the radiator, A2 is the lower hinge member of the automobile closure, being hinged 5. to the upper member As'which is hinged to the automobile as at A4. A11 indicates the dash or cowl of the automobile.

Positioned within said closure and spaced more or less therewithinv are the keeper 40. brackets generally indicated as B which include a bottom ange B1, an` upwardly extending portion B2 and a hook portion B3 inclined downwardly and outwardly` toward the inner face of vthe hood closure. The

bracket or keeper so formed may be secured Vto the frame by any suitable securing means.

I illustrate the bolt B 1 with the nut B5.

Rotatably mounted upon the inner face of the closure for rotation about a generally horizontal axis is the rock shaft or rod C.

- I Aillustrate it as rotatably supported with sleeves or bearings C1l adjacent the central portion thereof, and C2 Vadjacentv the ends thereof. Beyond the bearing C2 the ends of the rod are curvedk as at C3 andterm'inateV in portions C4 which extend in general parallelism with the rod itself. It will be understood that whereas I have shown a particular type of crank end for the rod C, that I do not wish to be limited specifically to the particular crank herein shown, although I find it an efficient solution of 'the' problem. The keeper also may be varied in form and location, depending uponV the nature of the crank employed.

In order to rotate the rod C in such fashl ion as to move the crank members C3 C4 into `and out of latching association with the keeper hooks VB3 I employ, the following mechanism. I provide a central offset D in the form of a Z having whatv I'may call an upper angl-e D1 anda lower anglelDz. I

tral bearing sleeves C1, although its location n in relation to the length of the rod. may be varied if desired. In the particular exempliication of Vmy invention herein shown, the offset D lies in a radial plane at a substan- @tial angle to the radial plane 'in which the*V cranks C3 C1 lie. This will be clear for example from Figure 3. However, if desired, the offset D may be otherwise positioned, for example in a non-radial plane. Its rectilinear form is in the present instance advantageous but under some circumstances it also may be departed from. In order to rotate the offset and thus rotatethe'ro'd C,

I employ an exterior handle E which mayv be `mounted Y on a handle 'shaft E1. Held against movement in relation to the handle E illustrate it as located between the two cenon the shaft E1 is a cam carrying plate or base E2. The assembly may be held together for example by the nut Es in mesh with the screwthreaded end portion E4 of the shaft E1. I illustrate this as an exampleof satisfactory means for holding the parts 'together but other suitable means may be employed. Y Extending'outwardly from the base portion of the cam. are two cam members E5 E6 respectively. E5 is shown as a` closed loop de-` fining the cam slot E7 through which passes one end of the central arm of the Z. E6 is indicated as a compound member defining the open ended slot E8 through which the central arm of the Z also passes. It will be seen, Jfor example from Figures 2, t and 6, that the straight central arm of the Z passes through the two cam slots in question, one adjacent each end of 1 the arm or, stated 10 otherwise, adjacent respectively tothe angles D1 and D2. The cams are radially spaced from the axis of rotation of the base plate E2, on opposite sides thereof. Rotation of the cam assembly may be `limited :by contact with the opposite ends of the slot E7 with the penetrating portion yof the rod., It will be noted that the axis of rota-tion of the exterior handle Fai-i extended, intersects the 3, axis of rotation 'of lthe rod C.

Itfwill be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and 4operative de'vi'ce, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit 'of my invention'. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to -my Vspecific y, showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as .ifolloivs'z Assume that the "securing means or` cranks are in 4the unlocked position in which they i-:are shown for example in Figures 4 and 5 With the 'cams -in unlocking position. If the operatorrgotates 'the handle El in counterclockwise direction,reeiringito the parts 'in the'positi'on in which they are shown in Figure 4, 'he "moves the 'camsthroughan arc of 40 in'tlie-neighborhood of 90 degrees. This rotationcaus'e's a rotation ot'therod through an oto stanotte-tft to move the, oran-ks trom the unlocked position in which they are shown in seotioo jin Figure 5to the looked position nwhic'h V'they are shown in'sectio'n in Figure 3.l The clam'connect'ion between the two cam siotssf ata ES and the otnttti pot-'tion ot the constrains the rod as 4a whole to this Vfloc'kin'g rotation in 'response -lto iotationof the totalen, .A reverso rotation of thonetdle E in the opposite direction returns the partis rto the unlocking 'position, with the cranks Vout of vertical alignment with the fk'eepors, wheielythe closure may vreadily be openedr raised.

I claim :k u, y Vl. For use with 'a latching [device for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile ehood, a Erod rotatably mounted npon lthe inner 1face of the'closure for rotation about a generally horizontal axis,and means for rotatingjsaid rod including'an exterior handle mounted for rotation aboiitan axis generally perpendicular to the 'axiso'f rotation'ot the rod, an offstof said rodinclnding aportion lmounted for rotation about an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation ofthe rod, an offset ofl said .rod including a portion generally inclined to said rod and extending Von opposto 'Sitios of tho txt-S tt rotation of ther-od, and an actuating member associated with and 'rotatable in unison with said handle, said actiiating kmember including a 'cam slot penetrated bythe offset portion of said'ro'd. '3. For use witha latching Vdevice for the multiple hinge closure of "an automobile hood., a 'rod rotatably mounted upon the inner-face'of the closure for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, and means for rotating said rod including an exterior handle mounted 'for rotation about 'an axis generally perpendicularto the Vaxis of rotation of the rod, an offset of said rodl including a rectilinear portion genei'allyinclinedto said rod, 'and an 'actuating member associated with and rotatable in unison withV said handle, s'aid actuating member including a cam slot penetrated 'by the rectilinear onset pot-tion Aof said rod. y

4. For use with a latchin'g 'device orftle multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a rod tota'tably mounted 'upon tnenner face of the closure 4for yrotation about a generally 'horizontal axis, 'and means for r'o tatin-g said rod including an exterior 'handle mounted for rotation about an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation offthe rod, ya'notfset of said rod Yin'clud'iI-ig aportion generally inclined 'to said rod, and a lplurality of actuating members associated with and rotatable in unison with said handle, vsaid actuating lmembers includingcam slots penetra'ted bythe offset-portion o'fsaid rod.

For use with a latching device 'for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile, hood, a rod rotatably mounted .upon ltheinner yface of 4the closure for rotation about a generally horizontal ax\is,\and means for rotating said rod including anexterior handle mounted for rotation about an axis lgenerally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rod,.an offset of said Vrod including aportion lgenerally inclined tosaid rod, extending on opposite sides of Vthe axis of rotation of the sha-ft, and a plurality of actuating members associated with `and rotatable `in unison with said handle, said actuating members fincluding y cam slots penetrated by the offset portion of said rod. Y

with and rotatable in unison with said hanoiset portion of said rod, the axes of rotation of the rod and of the handle being perpendicular to each other.

Signed at Osage county of Mitchell and State of Iowa, this 9th day of December FRANK A. FALK.

dle, said actuating members including cam slots penetrated by the offset portion of said rod, said actuating members being positioned on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of said handle.

7 For use with a latching device for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a rod rotatably mounted upon the inner face of the closure for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, and means for rotating said rod including an exterior handle mounted for rotation about an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rod, a reverse o'set of said rod including a portion generally inclined to and extending across the axis of said rod, and a plurality of actuating members associated With and rotatable in unison with said handle, said actuating members including cam slots penetrated by the offset portion ofsaid rod, said offset portion of the rod being rectilinear.

8. For use with a latching device for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a rod rotatably mounted upon the inner face of the closure for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, and means for rotating said rod including an exterior handle mounted for rotation about an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rod, a reverse offset of said rod including a portion generally inclined to and extending across the axis of said rod, and an actuating member associated with and rotatable in unison with said handle, said actuating member including a cam slot pene trated by the oiset portion of said rod, said actuating member being radially spaced from the axis of rotation of the handle.

9. For use with a latching device for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a rod rotatably mounted upon the inner face of the closure for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, and means for rotating said rod including an exterior handle mounted for rotation about an axis generally perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rod, a double offset of said rod including a portion generally inclined to and crossing the axis of said rod, and an operating member associa-ted with and rotatable in unison with said handle, said operating member including a cam slot penetrated by the 

